Hydrothermal synthesis of cobalt germanium oxide supported with carbon-based graphitic carbon nitride for electrochemical determination of ornidazole

In recent decades, nitroimidazole derivatives have played an effectual role against bacterial and protozoan infections that can be used as anti-cancer and antibiotic drugs. Ornidazole (ORD) consists of a major 5-imidazole nucleus which complements to first nitro groups, ORD invades into lipid tissue and other nitroimidazole derivatives. The periodic intake of ORD orally causes side effects of headache, nausea, vomiting, and breathing difficulties such effects need potential monitoring and develop essential electrochemical sensing toward ORD. In this study, we developed a ternary cobalt germanium oxide (Co₂GeO₄) nanoparticle prepared by a facile hydrothermal method and followed by calcination. The carbon-based graphitic carbon nitride (GCN, g-C₃N₄) nanosheets were therefore supported for electrochemical sensing applications in order to improve the features like the catalytic activity, electrical conductivity, and active surface area of Co₂GeO₄ composites. The structural, chemical composition, and morphological properties of samples were characterized. Subsequently, the fabrication of cobalt germanium oxide with graphitic carbon nitride (Co₂GeO₄/GCN) was modified over a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) towards electrochemical detection of ORD. Electrochemical measurements were recorded by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for the determination of ORD. The Co₂GeO₄/GCN nanocomposite exhibits a wide linear range response of 0.049–94.9 μM in DPV with a nanomolar limit of detection of 7.2 nM of ORD and a high sensitivity of 2.66 µA µM⁻¹ cm⁻². An interference study was carried out for the Co₂GeO₄/GCN nanocomposite in the existence of hazardous metals, biological compounds, and similar drugs for examining the selectivity of the sensor. The proposed Co₂GeO₄/GCN nanocomposite reveals superior sensing selectivity towards ORD; hence, repeatability, reproducibility, and storage stability were recorded in their RSD and found to be less than 0.4%, adding to this practical feasibility of the sensor analyzed by real samples of blood serum & human urine with exceptional recovery percentages.